


Petals for You

by Hidetouken



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: AU where Irimi and Koma find Hide in the sewer after he leaves Kaneki, Angst, I'll stop writing fics from Hide's pov when I'm dead, Light Angst, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, also I couldn't resist giving Touka some screen time in the second part I love her too much, hanahaki, hurt comfort, oh by the way angst with a happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-18 22:49:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16128365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hidetouken/pseuds/Hidetouken
Summary: The moment Kaneki goes on a date with Rize, Hide coughs up a petal. He'll tell Kaneki about it...eventually. Basically a standard Hanahaki fic that's mostly canon compliant.





	Petals for You

It started with a single rose petal.

Hide had just gotten home from meeting Kaneki at Anteiku where his friend had intended to show him the girl he wanted to ask out. While they were enjoying their coffee Hide had felt a pain in his chest but had ignored it assuming he had just drank his drink too fast.

But as he held the petal in his hand he realized he might has a problem on his hands.

Trying not to think too hard about it, he threw the petal away and went about getting ready for bed. It had been a long day and he was conflicted between wanting his friend to be successful in getting his date and wanting him to be turned down.

As he drifted off to sleep he thought of the petal again.

_ I might have a problem.... _

  
  
  


Over the next few weeks he tried not to think of the petal he had coughed up. It was easy enough seeing how he had enough on his mind to preoccupy him. Kaneki had been hospitalized after a freak accident and the hospital wouldn’t let him see him after all. 

Not knowing how else to help Hide did his best to keep up in their shared Asian history class, talking note like he never had before so that Kaneki would have one less thing to worry about.

The day Kaneki was released Hide coughed up another rose petal. He quickly discarded of it and got ready to go meet his friend. He didn’t have time to dwell on this right now he had to make sure Kaneki was truly okay.

  
  
  


Things weren’t right. Kaneki had returned to classes but he seemed off, and anytime Hide tried to get his friend to open up to him Kaneki pushed away instead. 

A constant ache developed in his chest and Hide assumed it was due to how Kaneki was hurting ─ after all he hadn’t coughed up any more petals ─ But one day when Kaneki uncharacteristically skipped class Hide found himself doubled over during lecture, coughing up a handful of red petals. He did his best to hide them from his surrounding classmates, stuffing them into his pockets, but he couldn’t ignore the concerned glances he received. 

“Sorry, I think I’m developing a cough,” he lied to them easily, wishing it were true. He was starting to face the reality of his situation.

He was in love with his best friend, Kaneki Ken, who didn’t love him back.

  
  
  


“Hey, Kaneki, are you eating properly?” Hide asked as he took a sip of his coffee to swallow down a cough  _ and probably more petals _ he thought to himself.

“Hm?” Kaneki answered, seeming caught off guard by the question. Hide watched him carefully, taking in the worry in his friend’s tired eyes. He wanted to outright ask what was wrong but he knew if he pushed any harder than he was already he would be shut out.

“Are you eating properly,” He said again, a little more firmly, “you’ve been really pale recently and haven’t been looking all that great since you got out of the hospital. I just wanted to check in.”

Hide felt his heart sink when Kaneki’s hand raised up to his chin as he answered. He guessed he’d had to try again another time to find out what was going on with his friend.

“Yeah, Hide, I’m fine.” The smile Kaneki put on his face as he answered didn’t reach his eyes and Hide felt his chest ache. He missed his friend’s smile. 

“You know you can talk to me, right?” He tried, unable to resist reaching a hand across the table towards his friend’s. He didn’t take it in his; though, but left a few inches between them.

“Hide I’m fine,  _ really _ ,” Kaneki tried, but Hide still didn’t believe him. 

Sighing, Hide drew his hand back and coughed a few times into his elbow before quickly swiping away the petals that were left there. It seemed like luck was on his side because Kaneki was too busy staring off into space with a worrying look on his face to notice what had just happened. 

“Okay, okay,” Hide relented, waiving a hand in the air as if to shake off the tense atmosphere that had fallen over them, “Just remember there’s nothing you can’t tell me, okay?”

Kaneki gave him another insincere smile and nodded. 

“Thank Hide.”

Hide wanted to cry. He felt like he was failing his friend and the ache in his chest worsened.

  
  
  


After the incident with Nishio, Kaneki pulled away more, and the aching in Hide’s chest began to grow, catching him by surprise when he was left along with his thoughts

The first time it happened was right after he had gone to visit Kaneki at Anteiku. The other seemed to be settling in well enough and Hide was glad that he had people surrounding him who could help him with the transition that was going on in his life now. But as he crossed through the threshold of his apartment, thoughts of how Kaneki was pulling away more heavy on his mind, he felt a deep aching in his chest that caught him off guard. He stumbled as he began to cough, the petals falling to the floor around him, and he just barely caught himself on the wall before he could fall. 

He knew he needed to do something about this, and soon, he had done enough research on his affliction to know he was running out of time and options, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that  _ now _ wasn’t the right time. Kaneki was already going through so much and Hide wanted to wait until his world seemed to stabilize first before talking to him about it. No doubt Kaneki would feel guilty. 

_ I’ll tell him soon, _ he told himself,  _ I just want to make sure the time is right. _

  
  
  


He ran out of time.

He had been waiting to tell Kanki about what was going on when the time felt right, but with his friend pulling away more and more and spending less and less time with him, Hide never got around to it. 

No Kaneki was missing and Hide was coughing up petals every day. He started skipping class more, the pain too distracting for him to focus on lectures properly and draining too much of his energy for him to keep up a full schedule. He was sleeping less too, fits waking him up in the middle of the night and leaving his bed covered in the red petals that he was beginning to hate. 

Despite his declining health decided to apply for an internship at the CCG in hopes of getting more information on his friend. It was obvious to Hide that Kaneki needed help now more than ever and if there was even some small way he could help then he would do it. He succeeded in getting the position and began his work as soon as he could.

Working closely with people, especially investigators, posed a new challenge to Hide. Not only did he have to hide his motivations from them, but he also decided he needed to hide his condition from them as well, fearing that if they found out they would force him to quit. He was mostly successful with using the tactics of hiding his symptoms from his classmates on his new coworkers, but he had a feeling that one of his new superiors, Takizawa, was catching on to him. 

The man never said anything outright, but he always gave Hide a slightly worried look whenever he stifled a cough or excused himself from a conversation when the pain made it too hard to breath enough to talk properly. 

Hide tried not to worry about someone knowing his secret and instead focused on his work, hoping to get any useful information he could use to help Kaneki. As he continued to integrate himself into the job his condition continued to worsen. 

His episodes became more frequent and he became a master of hiding the petals that wanted so badly to flow out of him, going as far as to swallow back down the ones that tried to escape when he stifled a cough even if it meant he would inevitably find himself retching them back up in the privacy of the washroom later as if his body was desperate to get rid of the parasitic leaves. 

It was after once such incident that Takizawa finally made his move.

“Is everything okay there?” He asked casually with a look on his face that was anything but. Hide stopped in his tracks, a little caught off guard, before smiling sheepishly. 

“Yeah, I must have just brought a bad lunch with me today,” He laughed awkwardly, hoping his feigned embarrassment would be enough to get the other to drop the conversation.

Apparently it wasn’t.

“It’s not just today,” He said flatly, crossing his arms and stepping into Hide’s path, “Something’s been up with you since you started here.”

For a moment Hide forgot all about his health and began to worry that the other had worked out his true motivations for taking the job and he began to think up his defense when the other started talking again.

“You know that as an employee here you’re eligible to go and see the doctors that treat the investigators, right?” Takizawa asked, the serious look on his face melting away to concern. Hide was touched; really, but he already knew what was wrong and he knew what had to be done.

“I appreciate the concern,” he started before stepping around the other, “but I’m fine, really.” It took all of his effort in that moment not to let a cough escape his lips but he somehow managed to suppress it.

Takizawa opened his mouth to say something but Hide cut him off.

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” he said flatly before turning his back to the other and walking away. He could feel the other’s concerned gaze following him and he admittedly felt bad, but he couldn’t afford to risk his position here over this. They had only recently begun giving him access to case files and he needed to continue to move up the ranks to help Kaneki. If it was for him Hide could power through and keep going.

  
  
  


For a while things were stable. Hide continued to struggle through his symptoms day after day and his coworkers began to trust him with more an more significant tasks. He soon began keeping a log of what he learned, studying the information at night when the pain kept him up so that when the time came he would be prepared. 

Unfortunately things didn’t stay stable for long.

Then one day as he was eating lunch with Akira and Amon and discussing a case when Shinohara and Suzuya walked into their office. The conversation turned towards towards Kanou and the binge eater. Hide listened, stifling a coughing fit not wanting to lose a chance to get more information on his friend. 

Suddenly, the group was talking  _ about _ Kaneki, and Hide felt a sharp pain in his chest that knocked the breath out of him and he felt his vision waiver. He tried to take a deep breath to stabilize himself but he could barely get a breath in as he tried to stifle a coughing fit. He was vaguely aware that his colleagues were watching him as he gripped at his chest and struggled to stay upright, but he was too far gone to care. 

He collapsed to the ground and could faintly hear the sound of footsteps running towards him and Amon calling for someone to get help before his consciousness faded.

  
  
  


When he woke up he found that he was in a hospital bed with an oxygen mask over his face. He looked around the room and notice that it seemed to be one of the rooms in the CCG headquarters where they temporarily treated investigators. Up on the wall across from his bed seemed to be an x-ray of what he could only assume was his chest. On it he could see a mass growing all throughout the lungs and into the heart and he figured his secret was out.

His squad was all there too along with a man he did not recognize, and they were all watching him with worried looks on their faces. It seemed like someone had even alerted Takizawa, who wasn’t there for the incident but now stood fidgeting next to Amon. 

Hide weakly raised a hand to wave at them, and he heard Takizawa gasp.

“Hey everyone,” he said weakly, “Aren’t you all too busy to be waiting around on little old me?” 

A painful cough wracked his body and he had to lift the mask off of his face to prevent the petals that spilled from his lips from clogging it. He didn’t bother to try and hide them, figuring that everyone in the room was now aware of his situation. 

“Work can wait when a colleague suddenly collapses.”

He was surprised to hear that it was Akira that spoke given that she was one of the most work-oriented people he knew next to Amon. 

“More importantly,” the man that Hide didn’t recognize started, “I thought that you should have some support with you for the news that I have to give you.”

Hide eyed the man. He seemed serious and stood off to the side of the rest of the group with a clipboard and a packet of forms in his hands. 

“Save it,” Hide sighed, “there’s nothing you’re going to tell me that I don’t already know, “ he said around a cough.

“Hideyoshi,” the man started, having chosen to ignore Hide’s comment, “You have a parasite growing in your lungs, and it’s beginning reach out towards your heart. We call this Hanahaki Disease for the flower like structure that causes the patient to cough up what appear to be petals,” He said as he gestured to the petals spread out over Hide’s chest, “It’s caused by unrequited love and is poorly understood. There are; however some medications that can ease the pain and slow its growth but the best option is Surgery to remove it. At your state though it might be--”

“Save it,” Hide cut in, “I don’t want the surgery. I already know what the side effects are of it and I’m not willing to lose the emotions that I have for that person. I’d rather take my chances and hope things work out in the end for me.”

It looked as if Takizawa was about to protest Hide’s choice but Amon held up his hand and nodded at the doctor.

“Would you at least be open to trying the medication?” the doctor asked, clearly displeased at Hide’s choice, “You’re reaching an advanced stage and at that point there will be little that we can do to help you,” He explained, concern evident in his voice.

“Yeah,” Hide sighed, “I’ll take the medication. As long as it won’t affect my emotions.”

“There are no reported side effects of emotional changes,” the doctor stated as he began to write on a notepad. He ripped off a sheet and held it up.

“I’ll have these scripts filled for you and will monitor your progress from here on out. For the time being rest here. When you recover from the episode that you had today we will release you.”

With that the man headed toward the door and exited, leaving Hide’s coworkers standing at the side of the room with worried looks on their faces.

“Are you sure that this is the choice you want to make?” Takizawa asked, tears threatening to spill from his eyes.  _ The man was too soft to be working in such a harsh place as the CCG _ Hide thought as he took in the sight. 

“Yeah, I’m sorry.” 

“Takizawa,” Akira started as she placed a hand on her colleagues shoulder, “We should respect his choice.” 

Hide was surprised to hear how tight her voice seemed as she said the words. They weren’t exactly close like he was with Takizawa, and he wasn’t expecting a reaction from her.

“I think we should leave him to get some rest,” Amon cut in after a minute, his face clearly displeased but accepting nonetheless. 

The other two nodded and Amon held open the door for them to walk out through. Before leaving himself Amon paused and looked back at Hide.

“It’s him, isn’t it?” He asked, giving Hide a pointed look, “Kaneki Ken.”

Hide nodded and gave Amon a sad smile.

“What can I say? I’m just that idiot that fell in love with his best friend right before he disappeared.” 

“We’ll find him,” Amon said, his voice serious and his face set, “Get some rest.”

Hide could only nod as the man left the room to join his subordinates in the hallway. Alone now, Hide sighed and sunk into his bed.

“I’ll find him no matter what,” He said quietly before doubling over and coughing up handfuls of petals onto the white sheets of his bed. 

  
  
  


Over the next few weeks things returned as close to normal as they could for Hide. Of course, he now had to deal with the concerned looks of his colleagues every time he so much as cleared his throat and they definitely were more interested in his answer to the question “how are you” but they otherwise seemed to pretend that they didn’t know about his condition. 

He took his medication as the doctor instructed and was pleased to find that it both helped the frequency of his fits as well as the pain that he felt with every breath. It was still there, but it was bearable and he was able to sleep better. 

His slight upturn in health may have only been on the surface, but he would take what normalcy he could get. This new normalcy didn’t last long; though, as soon there were whisperings of a raid being planned and that  _ the _ One Eyed Owl would be involved. 

Hide couldn’t help but get interested in the gossip, and he did his best to gather as much details as he could that he would then compile into his notes at home. Any piece of information was crucial to him.  _ I have to help Kaneki! _

Finally the day came where Amon formally debriefed the team about the upcoming raid.

He started off serious as always as he discussed the details and if he noticed Hide choking down a throat full of petals when he mentioned the raid was at Anteiku of all places he didn’t react. The thought of a place Kaneki had considered a second home being the target of a CCG raid made Hide’s heart ache. It didn’t feel right to him and it was all he could to do stay quiet and not argue during the debriefing. 

Amon’s strict attitude ebbed away as he got into further details, namely the wills. His voice was filled with concern for his underlings as he handed out the envelopes they were meant to seal away their potential last words in. 

Hide watched as Amon went up to each of is coworkers and handed out the forms and was surprised when Amon stopped in front of him and held one out.

“Really…?” Hide asked, trying hard to hide the excitement he suddenly felt. Getting access to the raid meant he might actually be able to  _ do _ something to help Kaneki and his friends.

“Apparently,” Amon answered, still holding out the form. Hide took it and peaked inside of the envelope to find it filled with thick blank pages. He looked back up at Amon just in time to see him shaking his head. 

“I personally think it would be best if you didn’t go, but apparently Marude has different ideas and there’s no arguing against him.”

Hide grinned despite the implication that he shouldn’t go and gave a mock salute. 

“I’ll do my best to not disappoint!” He exclaimed, hoping everyone took his excitement as a joke. Judging by how Akira shook her head and Takizawa snickered, it seemed so. 

The mood thoroughly lightened, Amon shook his head again.

“You better do your best out there,” He said, and Hide grinned at the encouragement.  _ Oh, I will. _

  
  
  


“So these monitors here track the progress of the squads?” Hide asked when there was a pause in Marude giving out orders. They were in the middle of the raid and Hide found himself situated in the makeshift command center. 

“Yes, We can see where our people are advancing and where they are getting held up,” Marude answered briskly as he watched the movements on the monitor. Hide followed his eyes and noticed that he was focused on a group on the front lines that had stopped advancing.

“What do you think that group came up against?” Hide asked as he watched the dots on the screen. It was a small group, and Hide wondered if it was anyone he knew that was a part of it.

“From what I’ve heard they came up against a strong ghoul,” Marude answered with a frown, “I believe Amon called him  _ centipede _ .”

Hide almost choked. He knew that the centipede was one of the names that was given to Kaneki, even if the rest of the CCG hadn’t made the connection yet, and the idea of his best friend fighting his superior frightened him. Amon was strong, and even if he did take a special interest in Kaneki he would still fight all out to protect his underlings. Kaneki was no different and would fight all out to protect his friends at the cafe.

Hide had to get out of there.

As if just in time to give him an excuse a series of coughs wracked his body and he couldn’t stop the petals from spilling from his lips and onto the floor around him. Never had he been more glad for the sharp pains shooting through his chest than now.

“Sorry,” He coughed sheepishly to Marude, “I think I just need some fresh air. Is it okay if I step just outside for a moment?”

Marude regarded him with a mix of concern and what seemed like suspicion, but ultimately nodded. 

“Be quick about it,” He said curtly, “it’s dangerous out there.”

Hide nodded and went for the door of the van, unable to shake the feeling that the man had an idea of what he was going to do next. It was too late to turn back; though, and once Hide was through the door he took off running towards Anteiku.

He knew the area well from the many times that he had come to visit Kaneki while he was at work and knew there was an entrance to the sewer nearby the command station. He had taken the time to study the underground routes for the area before the raid, using what information the CCG databases had on them, and he figured he would be able to navigate with some certainty to the location he had last seen Amon’s group. 

_ I have to get to Kaneki! _

  
  
  


The sewers were cold and damp, causing the ache in Hide’s chest to grow. He thought he was getting close as he could distantly hear screaming from further down in the tunnels and it sent a shiver down his spine at how much it both did and did not sound like Kaneki. 

He headed towards the sound.

Rounding a curve, he came face to face with a dark form writhing in the water, screaming incoherently, and Hide stopped and doubled over coughing, petals spilling from his lips. The figure in front of him didn’t notice and he righted himself before taking a tentative step forwards. 

“Kaneki…?” he asked, hoping to grab his friend’s attention. It got his attention but rather than calming him down it caused Kaneki to begin screaming about how Hide couldn’t be here; that he wasn’t real. 

Hide swallowed down a lump in his throat at his friend’s apparent disbelief. 

“Kaneki it’s really me, Hide,” He said gently, stepping forwards and crouching down in front of friend. He reached out a hand to put it on the other’s shoulder, and looked him over. He felt fear run cold through him when he saw the massive wound on his friend’s abdomen. 

Kaneki didn’t seem to notice the wound at the moment and was still rambling incomprehensibly about how Hide couldn't’ be here; about how he couldn’t know.

“Kaneki, I already knew man,” he said with a simile, hoping to ease his friend’s racing thoughts, “I don’t care about that. Let’s just go home.”

Kaneki froze for a moment and looked at Hide with what seemed like a sense of clarity. 

Then he began to scream and clutch at the wound on his side as if he had only just felt it. 

“Kaneki─” Hide yelled, reaching out to catch his friend before he could fall the rest of the way into the murky water. 

“Kaneki, I want to help you,” He said once he had stabilized his friend. Kaneki looked at him dazedly, “There’s someone up ahead that you have to fight. Someone strong..” Hide couldn’t keep the urgency from his voice. “So please fight with all that you have just one last time.”

He pulled Kaneki’s head forwards so that it was near his own neck. 

“Kaneki, Please,” he breathed out, “eat me.”

He heard a sharp intake of breath, followed by a searing pain in his throat. 

_ I was able to help. I was at least able to help _ . He kept thinking through the pain.

 

Kaneki had lost consciousness soon after and Hide managed to lay him down safely on his back, glad to see the wound on his side was already healing, before making his getaway.

As he staggered away the petals he coughed up were covered in blood.

  
  
  


When Hide wakes up he doesn’t recognize his surroundings. The last thing he remembers is seeing bloody petals float around him in the water before he blacked out.

He’s now in what seems like a modest bedroom with the window shades drawn closed. There’s a searing pain going down his face to his throat and left shoulder, and he tries not to focus on it. He sees a door across the room and tries to get up to walk towards it to figure out where he’s at.

“I wouldn’t try that just yet” A voice says, and he turns towards the side of his bed where it came from and is surprised to see a familiar face there. “You’re still recovering. Stay in bed.”

Hide places the person’s face as one of those he had seen around Anteiku. The man has blond hair and a short beard on his chin and he looks as tired as Hide feels.

Hide goes to ask his name, but all that comes out is a garbled mess of sounds with no meaning.

“It’s no use trying that,” the man sighs, before reaching over to grab something from the bedside table. It’s a notepad and a marker, “These might be more useful.”

Hide stares at the items before reaching a tentative hand up to his face. Where he’s expecting to find flesh he finds bandages and nothingness instead.

_ It was worth it  _ he thinks as he coughs up a handful of petals. If the person besides him is surprised they don’t react. Despite his current condition Hide feels relieved. 

_ He’s alive! _

  
  
  


Over the next few weeks Hide learnes a little more about his current position. Apparently he was found by two ghouls from Anteiku that Kaneki had manage to save that had recognized him while they made their own escape. The two had managed to get Hide out of the sewer and to the place he was now. 

As for where he was, he didn’t know. He had learned that the man that was there when he awoke was named Yomo and that he had recognized him because he had also been on of the members of Anteiku. 

Yomo told him that his current status in the human world was “missing in action” and that it was unclear if he was wanted or not by the CCG. Hide assumed that he was seeing as he had broken the ghoul counter measure act by aiding Kaneki during the raid. He took his missing status as a blessing because it meant that so long as he stayed hidden no one had to know what he had done and he was free to move about as he pleased.

Over the weeks Hide also noticed a change in his condition. Of course there were the wounds that were healing on his face and neck, but was more concerning were the petals. At first he was coughing them up constantly throughout out the day and night, worrying even the stoic Yomo that primarily checked in on him. As the weeks went on though the episodes happened less and less. There was still the pain his his chest that came with breathing, but he eventually stopped coughing up the petals.

This change worried him. He knew that one of the few ways to stop the disease progression was for the person the afflicted feelings were for was to die, and Hide feared something had happened to his friend. The pain in his chest gave him hope though that Kaneki was still out there somewhere.

Hide wasn’t alone in his worries he soon learned. As his wounds healed it seemed that Yomo decided that he could be trusted enough to wander the small apartment that he was being kept in. He learned that Touka was also staying here, along with the two ghouls Irimi and Koma that had rescued him. She also seemed to be mourning the loss of Kaneki and he took solace in not being alone in that fact.

He eventually confided in her about his condition and about how despite not coughing up the petals anymore he still felt the parasite constricting his lungs and heart. Although morbid, to him he said that it meant that Kaneki was still out there somewhere and that they could one day find them. She seemed to take comfort in the idea as well.

  
  
  


It was years before he coughed up petals again. 

In the time between him healing and now he had spent his time preparing for Kaneki’s return while helping Touka get her new cafe, :Re, up and running. Often he would go out for days at a time and despite their curiosity, Touka and Yomo rarely questioned him on his activities. They were all preparing for Kaneki’s return, just in their own ways.

Hide has seen “Kaneki” several times since the raid. He was now going by “Haise Sasaki” according to Touka, who often served him at the cafe. She told Hide the time that the man known as Haise usually showes up and Hide took it upon himself to watch the other.

He seemed happy, and often came into the shop with his underlings form the CCG. It was strange to see his friend who had been close to so many ghouls wearing an investigator’s uniform but despite this Hide took comfort in seeing his former friend’s smile, even if it did cause a sharp pain to occur in his lungs. 

Things had seemed stable to Hide and the others, and they had accepted that Kaneki was not going to remember who they were. That is until Hide had an episode.

He was staying late at :Re helping Touka and the others close down the shop. One moment he was sweeping and the next he was doubled over coughing up mouthfuls of petals onto the wooden floor. 

Touka rushed over to him and began to rub his back as his knees buckled and he fell to the floor.

“Hide─!” She called, doing her best to lift him back up so that he was leaning up against her, “breath,” she said calmly despite how her hands shook. She pointed at the counter where Hide’s notebook and marker laid and Nishio quickly brought it over to the two of them and set it down before Hide.

“Touka, I’m fine,” Hide managed to scribble out around coughs. It took him a moment to realize it but there were tears in his eyes and he realized he was  _ happy _ , “I think….I think this means he’s coming back,” He wrote shakily, the words hardly legible, “All this time I’ve only felt the ache in my chest without coughing up the petals, but now...now I think this means  _ he’s _ starting to come back. To remember who he was.”

Touka and the rest of the group in the cafe were quiet as they took in what Hide written. During the silence Hide managed to get his breathing under control and he sat himself up, giving Touka a nod of thanks for the support that she had given him.

“So what are you going to do…?” Touka finally asked, breaking the silence.

Hide answered without hesitation, writing his answer hastily “Finish preparing everything that I’ve been working on so that I’m ready to help when he needs it,” He wrote out with a look of conviction in his eyes, “What about you?”

Touka answered equally as quickly.

“What I’ve always done,” she said quietly, “Give him a place he can come home too.”

Hide nodded with as mile in his eyes and held out his hand in a gesture of “good luck”

  
  
  


The rain soaked through his shoes and added to the chill that was already in the damp air as he walked through the graveyard. He coughed into the fabric covering his face and neck no doubtedly adding to the collection of petals that had already amassed within it. 

He had spent the whole walk there enduring the repeated fits that he knew must mean something was happening with Kaneki, but now that he saw two figures waiting up ahead he did his best to stifle the next round of coughs to pull off a level demeanor. 

As he got closer to the two people waiting he could make out the faces of Akira and Amon. If he still could he would have smiled at the site of them finally reunited. 

He kept his hands in his pockets as he approached them, not bothering with a greeting. Amon was the first to speak.

“You picked the absolute perfect time to make your comeback, huh, Nagachika?” he said, no nonsense as usual. Hide shrugged.

“The Washuu were after me,” he explained, “apparently I was in their way.”

“No need to need to write things down anymore, huh,” Amon commented, most likely referring to the voice prosthesis he had been given at the CCG not too long before. 

“The CCG made it happen,” he answered nonchalantly, “wish they made me more handsome too,” he sighed, only half serious as he gently tugged on the fabric covering his face. A petal escaped from underneath it and he hoped that neither of them noticed. In reality Hide only half meant what he said. Sure it would be more convenient if he didn't’ have to hide his face to conceal his scars but what it came down to was that it was for Kaneki’s sake, and for Kaneki he would do anything.

“It’s easier for me to move around now that the Washuu are gone,” he said after a moment, figuring he might as well explain why he was suddenly out in the open and working with the CCG again.

“Pretty tough, aren’t ya,” His former superior commented, more casual now that Hide had answered some of his questions. 

“What were you doing in that getup of yours?” Akira cut in, apparently not satisfied with the information that Hide had already provided. He figured she was referring to the “scarecrow” mask that the had been wearing when observing CCG operations over the past few years. He couldn’t blame her for the curiosity; if their roles were reversed he would be asking too. 

“Watching,” He said simply before pausing to stifle a cough, “During the auction operation, watching if there was anyone that could save Kaneki…and on Rue, seeing if I had the insurance I needed.”

“Insurance?” She asked, an uncharacteristically confused look on her face.

“Yeah, but I still can’t say that I have it,” he sighed, “Dr. Chigyou predicts that we have about 72 hours before  _ it _ starts moving again,” He said, changing the topic slightly, “That’s it. That’s how long he’ll be able to stay like that without being attacked. That’s our time limit” 

The short time limit scared Hide. He needed to get his plan up and going as soon as possible, and to do it he needed the cooperation of these two. 

He looked down and wrung his hands together, causing his umbrella to shift and rain to fall down onto his face briefly. He was nervous for the first time in a long time.

“If only I’d managed to make better use of myself Kaneki might not have turned into that,” He mumbled, partially only to himself. He couldn’t help but to blame himself for the current situation. After all he was the one who had made the deal with the CCG that the would take Kaneki in if he proved himself to Arima in the first place, and that had been the start of what had caused much of what had happened over the past few days. 

“Which is why I won’t fail this time.” He had more determination in his new synthetic voice when he spoke this time, “I’ve got something absolutely essential for that.”

“So that’s it then, the reason you called for us?” Amon asked, giving him a curious look. He clearly wanted to know more of what Hide was planning.

“I have an idea, but sheesh,” he said with a humorous shake of his head, “My dad will probably scold me from the otherside.”

“I will too,” Amon joked, his humor feeling oddly in place for this moment. 

“Your intuition is as sharp as ever,” Hide joked back, his eyes lighting up just a little at the hope that he might actually be about to get the help that he needed.

“Nagachika,” Amon suddenly said, his voice turning serious, “Why are you willing to go this far for Kaneki ken?”

Hide coughed and looked away momentarily before giving Amon a soft look. Honestly, he was surprised the man even had to ask.

“Because I love him,” He said as if it was the most obvious thing ever, “Do I even need another reason?” He laughed. 

“No,” Amon answered, a fondness in his voice for his former underling, “Let’s go.”

Hide felt a tension leave his shoulders that he didn’t even know was there at the words. For the first time since the dragon incident had begun Hide felt hopeful. 

As the group left the graveyard Hide finally gave into his body and coughed up another mouthful of petals and Amon and Akira only shook their heads at him, seeming to admire the strength that he managed to gain from a love that he didn’t think was returned.   
  
  
  


Hide let out another round of coughing with petals spilling from his mouth into the fabric covering his face and he found himself being grateful that he had an excuse to wear the cloth in the first place allowing him to hide his true condition.

“Hey, don’t you start getting sick on me,” Marude said from over at the monitors showing the current situation in Tokyo. His comment was more for the sake of Hide’s privacy, as there were other CCG members around. They were currently waiting in the temporary command center waiting for one of the squads out searching for Kaneki to return with him and tracking updates as they came in in the meantime.

“I can’t help it if I get a cold,” Hide answered as cheerfully as he could. It was getting harder and harder to stifle his coughs so he figured he might as well “admit” to having a simple cough to those around him at the moment. They didn’t need to know the real cause.

Marude looked like he was about answer but his attention was taken by a group approaching the tent. As Hide followed his gaze he felt a sharp pain radiate throughout his chest and he coughed again, harder than before.

Walking up to the tent was Touka with Kaneki’s former underlings, with Urie carrying a figure wrapped in a white sheet. Hide instantly knew that was Kaneki and he stood up to rush over to meet the group.

As he started to make his way forwards another burst of pain erupted in his chest and he couldn’t contain the coughing fit that followed. He tried to regain his breath and move forwards but the painful coughs kept coming and getting enough air in was becoming a problem. He could feel the petals spilling out with each one and he hoped that his mask would contain them all. There were too many people around that he didn’t want to explain himself too. 

His knees buckled just as Touka began to rush forward towards him and he gripped at his chest in hopes of stopping the pain.

“ _ Hide─ _ ” Touka called as she knelt down in front of him and put a gentle hand on his shoulder, “You need to  _ breath.” _

“ _ I’m fine _ ,” he tried to answer, but he couldn’t get the words out. He wasn’t concerned with himself right now anyways he wanted to know if Kaneki was okay.

“Is he...okay?” he managed to cough out after a few tries. Touka gave him a sympathetic look and squeezed his shoulder.

“He’s unconscious,” she answered quietly, “We don’t know.”

Another bought of coughs wracked his body and he felt himself getting dizzy from the lack of air he was getting. 

_ I want to see him _ he tried to ask, but instead it came out as a slurred mess between coughs and his vision began to darken. 

“He needs a medic!” He vaguely heard Touka call over the roaring in his ears and the sound of his own coughs. He tried to protest but was starting to feel to weak to hold himself up and he slumped forwards. Touka caught him and he could hear her yelling something as he lost consciousness, finally succumbing to the lack of air. 

  
  


 

When he woke up he was in an unfamiliar room laying on a matt placed in the corner of the room. There was a tube wrapping around his face and to his nose that he guessed was an oxygen tube. He reached up to pull it off but a hand stopped him.

“Leave that on for now,” he heard Touka’s voice ask gently, “Please?”

He nodded weakly before moving to sit up. Touka helped him and held him up for a few moments before she was sure he could hold himself up on his own. When she removed her hands Hide looked around the room.

Laying next to him was an oxygen tank set in a pouch meant for carrying along with a bottle of pills that he figured he could ask about later. The room itself resembled a lab and there was a table in the middle. There was a figure on the table that wasn’t moving and a group of people standing around watching it. Hide noticed that the people were all of those who had helped rescue Kaneki and he guessed that the figure  _ was _ Kaneki.

At the moment though he noticed several sets of eyes watching him now that he was awake and he felt a pit forming in his stomach. He didn’t want their pity and he could only pray that they somehow didn't know his secret. 

“Do they know…?” He asked tentatively, his focus back on Touka, who was kneeling down next to his mat.

“That you went and got yourself pneumonia by going out in the cold rain?” she answered, a bit louder than necessary, “Yes, they do.”

She then leaned in and whispered into Hide’s ear

“The only people that know are me, Nishio, and the doctor that treated you,” She told him, “We figured you didn’t want anyone else to know... ”

He nodded and sighed in relief. If he had the energy he’d give Touka the biggest hug he could right now. 

“It took a lot of arguing to get them to let us bring you here instead of the infirmary,” He heard a voice cut in from in front of the table Kaneki was laid out on. Hide turned and saw that It was Nishio who had spoke from where he was standing with his arms crossed watching him and Touka. 

“She fought to keep them from separating you from him and they agreed on the condition that we would give you your meds.”

“You must be a saint,” Hide responded in quiet amazement, his attention focused back on Touka. She smirked and shook her head.

“Honestly, I think they were just afraid to get into an argument with a ghoul,” she joked. Hide let out a laugh that turned into a cough before falling silent. 

Touka leaned in again to tell him something else and he leaned over so he could hear her better. 

“Hide, you need to tell him when he wakes up,” she whispered earnestly, “You can’t keep going on like this.”

He sighed before nodding.

“I will,” He said as quietly as his synthetic voice would allow, “I promise.”

Touka looked relieved as he looked back towards the table to try and get a better view of the figure up there.

“Do you want to see him?” Touka asked quietly. 

“Yeah…”

Touka nodded and helped him up to his feet and handed him the pouch with the oxygen tank in it. He felt weak and his legs shook, but they held him up and he sighed in relief before taking a few shaky steps towards the table. As he did so Nishio pulled up a stool and Hide gratefully took a seat there

It felt like everyone’s eyes in the room were on him as he looked down at his best friend but he ignored them so that he could take in the condition that Kaneki was in.

He was lying unconscious and unmoving on the table and was mostly covered by a white sheet but Hide could see what he assumed were his arms sticking out. They didn’t look like arms; though, instead they looked more like a strange kagune in the shape of claws and Hide had to resist the urge to reach out and touch them. They may have been strange but they were still a part of Kaneki. He also noticed the pattern running up Kaneki’s neck and face and he couldn’t help but wonder just what exactly had happened to him.

Hide moved his focus to Kaneki’s face and noticed that it seemed strangely at peace. He wondered if his friend was aware of all that had happened over the past day or not, but was simultaneously glad that he wasn’t noticeably distressed. 

“How long has he been like this…” He asked, looking up to the rest of the group of people in the room.

“Since Touka pulled him out of Dragon,” Urie answered from across the room where he stood against the wall with his arms crossed. Hide nodded in response.

“Thanks,” he said in response to the answer, “but how long has that been?”

“Only a few hours,” a voice said from across the room. Hide looked over and saw a familiar face that he hadn’t seen in years. 

The voice belonged to Kimi, who was sitting at a desk with a computer and other equipment on it. 

“We’ve done a full examination of him and there doesn’t seem to be anything outwardy wrong with him,” She explained as she turned away from the computer to face the rest of the group, “but we can’t predict when he’ll wake up.”

Hide nodded again before succumbing to another coughing fit. It was painful to sit here and watch his friend lay there seemingly lifelessly. 

After a few minutes of watching Kaneki as everyone sat around in silence Hide made up his mind and stood up from the stool. He was pleased to find that his legs felt more sturdy now, and he reached up and pulled the tubes off of his face.

“Hide, what are you─” Touka exclaimed, but Hide cut her off.

“I don’t need it,” he said firmly as he set the tank down on the floor, “Really.” 

Touka looked like she wanted to protest but said nothing as Hide walked back over to where the matt he had been on was and picked up the pill bottle set besides it. He stuffed the medication into his pocket and looked around the room one last time.

“I’m going to head out for a bit,” he said as calmly as he could despite the ache in his chest, “Marude is probably overrun right now so I’m going to go lend a hand.” 

He then turned to Touka and gave her a smile with his eyes.

“Take care of him, okay?” 

She nodded, deciding not to protest him leaving. He figured she could tell he needed some time to collect himself on his own. 

After giving everyone a quick waive he strode out of the room and out to the hallway. Once the door shut he immediately fell into another coughing fit and with shaking hands he opened the bottle of pills he had been given and swallowed one. It seemed like it was the same medication he had been on before he went into hiding and he could only hope it would help enough.

When the fit ended he headed off to the command center like he said he would, but he was turned away the moment Marude saw his face. Apparently he looked as sick as he felt and Marude scolded him for being careless and told him to go get some rest before he collapsed again. Hide didn’t argue and settled for wandering the halls of the CCG instead.

Eventually he found himself making his way up to the roof, coughing the whole way up the stairs. There was a part of him that had wished he had brought the oxygen with him as he gasped for air, but he wasn’t read to accept that his condition had progressed that far. 

He managed to reach the top of the flight of stairs despite his labored breathing, and he pushed open the door to the roof, feeling a gust of air brush across his face. He sighed in relief before doubling over in another fit of coughing. He removed the mask covering his face and petals flew all around him in the breeze air.

When he had steadied his breathing again he looked around at the empty rooftop and the surrounding cityscape. He wasn’t sure exactly what had drove him to come here but he felt like it was the right place to be and now that he had exerted the energy to get here he didn’t plan on leaving anytime soon.

Fatigue making his body feel like a lead weight, he made his way over to the ledge of the roof and sunk down against it, crossing his arms across the ledge and resting his head down on them. He coughed again and watched as the petals that escaped drifted down to the city below. 

From here he could see the destruction from Dragon off in the distance and he frowned as he surveyed the site. He still felt guilty that he wasn’t somehow able to prevent this all from happening. He should have done more to help Kaneki. If only he had done more…

Another round of coughs hit him and he doubled over, gripping the ledge for support with one arm while the other grasped at his chest. When it finally faded he rested his head back down on his arms and closed his eyes. Now that he was away from prying eyes the physical and emotional exhaustion that he felt was beginning to hit him and he let himself close his eyes to rest with the sounds of the city far below being carried on up to him.

He didn’t know how long he stayed like that. He didn’t have the energy to get up and go join the rest of Kaneki’s friends, or even to go check on Kaneki himself. 

Eventually he heard the sound of the door to the roof being opened by someone and he lifted his exhausted head to look over at who had come up. He was expecting Touka or Nishiki, but he wasn’t prepared to see Kaneki himself standing in the doorway, frozen and staring at Hide like he wasn’t sure what to do.

He pushed himself up to sit up straighter and waived at the other.

“Yo,” He said simply, lost for words at the unexpected meeting. Kaneki didn’t respond right away and Hide realized he wasn’t wearing his mask and wondered if that was why. Judging by the guilty look on his friend’s face it was, and he silently cursed himself for having forgotten to put it back on.

“What’s the matter, forget how to speak?” he asked before quickly covering up his face again with the fabric he had discarded next to him earlier.

Kaneki shook his head like he was trying to clear it before giving Hide a soft but somewhat strained smile.

“Sorry,” he answered quietly, “yo.”

Hide wanted to laugh at Kaneki’s ever-present awkwardness but what came out was a cough instead. He saw a small frown on Kaneki’s face and he sighed and tried to ignore it.

“What, you’re not gonna come over here and join me?” He asked, patting the ground next to him and giving Kaneki a meaningful look. It had been five long years and he missed being close to the other as selfish as it was. 

Kaneki smiled just a little and came over to sit down next to Hide. His smile faded though as he started taking in the sight of Hide up close. Hide guessed that maybe he looked as awful as he felt, but he could find a way to play that off if he needed to.

“Hide…” Kaneki started tentatively, “I….I need to thank you for everything that you’ve done,” He said after a moment. The look on his face was so serious and it made Hide’s heart ache. 

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” He answered, “I mean, that’s what friends are for, right?”

Kaneki smiled and the sight of it brought a sharp pain to Hide’s chest and he doubled over coughing again. 

Kaneki’s face fell with concern as he immediately reached out and began to rub Hide’s back. Despite the pain Hide couldn’t help but to be glad for the physical contact. 

“Hide─!” Kaneki called out, concern evident in his voice as well. Hide tried to get the espisode under control and gave Kaneki a smile with his eyes. 

“I’m fine, Kaneki,” he coughed out, “I’ve just been a little sick recently is all.” His breathing was starting to even out again and he straightened himself out. The sharp pain was still throbbing in his chest but he did his best to ignore it.

“What do you mean?” Kaneki asked, his hand having moved from Hide’s back to rest firmly on his shoulder instead. Hide considered lying.  _ It’s just a cold _ he wanted to tell the other to ease his worry, but then he remembered his promise to Touka and he silently cursed his past self for that.

“The truth is…” He started hesitantly, a hand moving up to absentmindedly scratch at his cheek, “I have Hanahaki disease,” he admitted defeatedly. He braced himself for Kaneki’s next question because he didn’t think he could bear to see his friend feel any more guilt for something that wasn’t his fault.

“Hide, I’m serious,” Kaneki said sternly, taking Hide by surprise, “What’s going on? Please, don’t joke around like this right now.”

Hide stared at his friend for a moment trying to think of how to convince him he was telling the truth. Then he remembered the petals that had fallen from his mask earlier and he went to go pull it off again.

When he pulled the mask off red rose petals fell from it and started blowing around them in the wind. Kaneki’s eyes widened as he realized his friend was telling the truth and he slowly withdrew his arm from Hide’s shoulder. 

Hide missed the contact immediately and resisted the urge to reach out and take Kaneki’s hand in his own.

“Who…?” Kaneki asked in disbelief as he stared at one of the petals that had landed in front of him.

Hide sighed and gave Kaneki a sad look. It was now or never.

“You.” he finally said with as much conviction as his prosthesis would allow. Kaneki’s eyes widened and he shook his head.

“That’s not...that’s not possible!” he exclaimed before reaching out and taking one of Hide’s hands firmly, “I’m serious, who is it?”

Hide stared at him for a moment having not expected this reaction. He did his best to give Kaneki a sincere look before speaking again.

“I’m serious, Kaneki. It’s you. It’s always been you.”

Kaneki shook his head and Hide could see tears welling up in his eyes and he had to swallow past a lump in his throat himself. He didn’t want his friend to suffer any more than he had to.

“That’s not possible,” Kaneki finally breathed, “you’re only supposed to get it if it’s unrequited.” The second part was said so quietly that Hide almost didn’t hear it. But he did and he looked over at Kaneki with a confused look on his face. Before he had a chance to ask Kaneki what he meant by that the other started speaking again.

“This is all my fault,” Kaneki said, horrified, “I should have─”

“Kaneki,  _ no, _ ” Hide said firmly, “It is  _ not _ your fault that you don’t feel the same way that I do.”

“No Hide please, let me speak,” Kaneki begged. Hide didn’t want to let his friend berate himself over something he couldn’t control but with the exception of another cough he stayed silent. Kaneki had sounded so desperate that Hide couldn’t help but to give in to him. 

“Hide, it’s  _ not _ unrequited,” Kaneki exclaimed, and Hide’s eyes widened. For a moment he felt the pain in his chest ease up just a little.

“So it’s my fault,” Kaneki started up again. Hide almost interrupted him but Kaneki gave him a sharp look and he chose to keep his mouth shut, “It’s my fault because you didn’t know that I love you. If I had of tried harder to show you how much I care about you, you wouldn’t have thought it was unrequited. I should have done more─”

“Kaneki,” Hide interrupted as his friend began to ramble, “listen to me. This isn’t your fault,” He said firmly, “Besides, if you feel the same way why don’t you have it too? I mean, I’ve never told you how I felt either so don’t….don’t blame yourself.”

Kaneki shook his head and gave Hide a sad smile.

“I don’t have it because you always made it known that you cared about me,” Kaneki answered, his voice tight, “maybe you never  _ said _ it but you always  _ showed _ it. Ever since I met you I knew you were someone who loved me.”

Hide felt his heart warm at the words and he took a deep breath and sighed as he gave Kaneki a smile with his eyes.

“It’s still not your fault; though, Kaneki,” He said, “You  _ did _ show me that you cared. It’s just...I never took it to mean that you felt the same…”

“I didn’t realize it was the same either,” Kaneki said quietly, “That’s why I started trying to go on dates with other people. I knew you cared about me but I didn’t think it was like this, but I guess maybe somewhere deep down a part of me did and that’s why I didn’t get it myself...”

Hide laughed and shook his head.

“We’re both a couple of idiots, aren’t we?” he joked as he reached out and squeezed the hand that was currently holding his. Kaneki smiled and laughed with him.

“We really are.”

Hide sighed leaned forwards to rest his head on Kaneki’s chest. He was exhausted. Ecstatic, yes, but exhausted, and he gave himself a moment to close his eyes and breath in Kaneki’s scent. Kaneki lifted the hand that wasn’t in Hide’s and began to rub his back soothingly and Hide melted into the touch. As the two of them sat there together Hide could feel the pain in his chest fading and he felt like he could breathe for the first time in years.

“We should get you inside and too a bed,” Kaneki said after a while, “because no offense, Hide, but you look horrible.”

Hide laughed weakly and nodded. 

“Please,” He answered simply.

Kaneki smiled before he reached over and picked Hide up by sliding his arms under Hide’s knees and behind his back. Hide curled into the warmth of Kaneki’s chest and sighed contentedly as the other carried him through the door of the roof. 

Hide was asleep by the time Kaneki had cleared a single flight of stairs. 

  
  
  


When he woke up he found himself in the infirmary hooked back up to oxygen with x-rays hanging over his bed and Kaneki nowhere in site. Touka was there waiting for him to wake up and she explained that he had gone on a mission with Ayato to destroy a part of Dragon that was causing ROS cases to increase, but that he promised he would be back for him. 

Hide missed the other’s presence but he couldn’t hold it against Kaneki for wanting to fix whatever he could about the current situation, so Hide pushed the feelings aside. 

At some point the same doctor that had treated him years before came in to explain that although the Hanahaki parasite had begun to wither there we as still significant damage to his lungs from it’s growth that was evident on the x-rays. Luckily enough, the doctor believed Hide would eventually make a full recovery with proper treatment. Hide took the good news with a simple nod and didn’t bother asking the doctor any questions. He had a feeling he would be stuck here for awhile and questions could wait until after Kaneki had returned safe and sound.

Hide spent  the next few hours worrying along with Touka and Hinami, who had eventually wandered in to visit, while they waited for their loved ones to come back. When the two finally did return Kaneki looked worse for wear, seemingly only on his feet because Ayato was holding him up, and covered head to toe in what looked like a mix of dirt and blood. Hide desperately wanted to get up and help him but Touka pushed him back down into his bed and got up instead. 

Together Touka and Ayato managed to get Kaneki over to bed adjacent to Hide’s and Kaneki Immediately collapsed into it, apparently too exhausted from whatever mission he had just come back from to move. Touka rushed out to go find Kimi and Hide took advantage of her absence to get out of his own bed and to crawl into Kaneki’s bed instead. 

He was relieved to see that there appeared to be few injuries on Kaneki and he sighed in relief. Hide began to brush the dirty hair out of Kaneki’s face as Touka returned with Kimi. 

Hide was quickly booted from Kaneki’s bed and forced back into his own; though, while Kimi wheeled Kaneki’s bed out of the room to do a full examination. When she returned with him later the grime from his battle had been washed off and Kimi gave him a clean bill of health stating that he just needed rest. 

This time when Hide went to get up Touka didn’t stop him and instead she helped him climb into Kaneki’s bed. She and Himami tucked the two of them in, laughing just a little as they did so, before going to switch off the light.

“You two get some rest,” He Touka say from the doorway. He held up a hand and gave her a thumbs up before letting his arm fall and wrap around Kaneki, who was in such a deep sleep he hadn’t even woken up since being returned to the room. Hide heard the others leave and he let out a content sigh before closing his own eyes and drifting off. 

  
  
  


“Kaneki, I’m home!” Hide called into their apartment as he took his shoes off by the door and set them to the side. He heard a distant “Welcome home!” and guessed that Kaneki was all the way back in the kitchen. He made his way there and smiled at the site that greeted him.

Kaneki was in front of the stove cooking something with a recipe book open next to him on the counter. Whatever it was smelled amazing and made Hide’s stomach growl. He could tell that Kaneki had heard that by the way he chuckled to himself as he continued cooking.

“How were your treatments today?” Kaneki asked as Hide walked over to wrap his arms around Kaneki’s waist and rest his head on his shoulder. He could see what Kaneki was cooking now and it turned out to be a burger like what they used to eat at Big Girl all the time. Hide smiled at the gesture, figuring it was Kaneki’s way of “going out” with him since he was still wary of going out in public. The fact the he had most likely gone out to buy ingredients impressed Hide.

“They were fine,” He finally answered with a shrug, “Just a few shots along the remaining scarred areas to try and get the skin to regenerate.” 

Hide had been undergoing RC treatments for the past few months for both his lungs and the scarring from the wounds Kaneki had left him with. He was glad to say that he only had a few more to go with his lungs being mostly healed and his ability to talk without an assistive device back. They were mostly working on reducing his scaring now, which he only agreed to do because the TSC thought it would make people accept his talks about peace better. Otherwise he wouldn’t have bothered because the scars hadn’t bothered him.

“Did they hurt?” Kaneki asked as he flipped the burger he was cooking. It sizzled against the pan and Hide bounced up and down, excited to get to taste it.

“Nah, just the usual initial burning that goes away quickly,” he answered easily, “but more importantly, when do I get to eat that?” He asked, pointing to the burger on the pan.

Kaneki swatted his hand away and laughed. 

“When it’s done, Hide,” He answered with a smile in his voice, “Now go sit at the table so I can finish making this and actually let you eat it.”

Hide sighed dramtically but relented and went to go sit at their small Kitchen table. When he sat down he noticed a bouquet of sunflowers sitting there that Kaneki must have gotten while he was out getting ingredients. Ever since they had gotten together the two of them had always used the brightly colored flowers instead of the roses that Hide hated.

“So what is up with all of this anyways?” He asked as he smiled and reached over to pick up one of the flowers and turn it around in his hand.

“I just wanted to do something nice for you,” Kaneki answered without looking up. Ever since that time on the rooftop Kaneki had been trying harder to show Hide that he cared in his own way. No matter what it was it never failed to warm Hide’s heart.

Hide looked back up to watch Kaneki and smiled to himself again.

“Hey Kaneki?” He called out as he gently placed the flower back into the vase on the table.

“Hmm?’

“I love you,” Hide said warmly.

He watched as Kaneki smiled to himself as he plated the food he had just prepared.

“I love you too, Hide.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos are much appreciated I've never tried a Hanahaki fic before
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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